US Asks Russia to Not Hit Nusra Front in Syria, Moscow Says

[XXL]

US Asks Russia to Not Hit Al Nusra Front in Syria, Moscow Says

Syrian girl Sidra Zaarur, who lost both legs in the shelling in Aleppo, meets with Russian military cadets visiting her in a hospital for children in Moscow, Friday, June 3, 2016. After suffering from serious traumas Sidra, with her mother, was taken to Moscow for rehabilitation aboard a Russian military plane and now is taken care of in one of Moscow's hospitals for children

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/us-asks-russia-hit-nusra-front-syria-moscow-39591833

Russia's foreign minister said Washington has asked Moscow not to target the al-Qaida's branch in Syria, the Nusra Front, but the U.S. insisted Friday that it only wants Russia to carefully select it targets to avoid hitting civilians and legitimate opposition groups.

Sergey Lavrov said that Russia has long insisted that the moderate, U.S.-backed opposition groups should leave the areas occupied by Nusra. He said in televised remarks that Russia and the U.S. have engaged in close dialogue on how to secure a cease-fire in Syria, but added that fighting the Islamic State group and Nusra should be a top priority.

"They are telling us not to hit it (Nusra), because there is 'normal' opposition next .. to it," Lavrov said. "But that opposition must leave terrorists' positions, we long have agreed on that."

In Paris, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters that he discussed the upsurge of violence in Syria in Friday's telephone conversation with Lavrov.

Kerry said the two talked for an hour and worked specifically on "ways to try to strengthen the enforcement and accountability for this cessation. We have good ideas but we're not there yet."

U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner, speaking to reporters in Washington, said that Kerry had emphasized the need for Russia to carefully distinguish between the IS and Nusra and legitimate opposition units.

"This is a common refrain, common theme that we've been conveying to the Russians over the past weeks," Toner said. "We obviously all agree that ISIL and the Nusra Front pose a real threat to the security on the ground in Syria."

At the same time, Toner noted that strikes against legitimate opposition forces and civilians only make people "more supportive of these terrorist groups and that is a dynamic we've seen play out in Syria for years now because of the regime's actions."

"Of course we support strikes focused solely on either Daesh or Al Nusra," he said. "But that a greater effort, a more complete effort needs to be made in order to distinguish between Al Nusra and the parties to the cessation."

Russia first set a deadline for Syrian opposition units to withdraw from areas occupied by Nusra, but then agreed to give them more time to pull out.

Despite a Russia- and U.S.-brokered truce in Syria that began on Feb .27, fighting has continued to rage in many areas, particularly around the city of Aleppo, trapping civilians in the cross-fire between government and opposition forces.

On Thursday, the Russian military flew one of the victims, 11-year old Sidra Zaarur, who lost both legs in the shelling of Aleppo in April for treatment in Moscow.

[ULIZOS]

They're fucking the worst. Go to the U.S. politics thread in this forum. People truly believe they're (U.S.) are the good guys and Russia are the bad guys

I'm obviously talking strictly about geopolitis. I could care less if they're homophibic or not. That's another can of worms. I'm not going to get blinded by the fact that some people and politicians are homophobes in Russia. That has nothing to do with the U.S. helping to destroy Syria.

Also, I think it's ridiculous that Madonna said that VLADIMIR PUTIN wanted to arrest her or whatever the other day on instagram.

He never even mentioned her. It was religious groups (and a handful of crazy politicians) who tried to sue her and failed.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/nov/22/russian-court-madonna-gay-rights

[XXL]

^ I get what you mean but those politicians that said that an "old prostitute should know her place", i.e. keep her mouth shut, respond to and are manouvered directly by Putin and the mysoginistic, violent, patriarchal, greedy Russian Orthodox Church and Oligarchy system behind him. She was merely quoting an article with a title that read that way.

I think that compared to many other American celebrities who are a bit vapid, uneducated, uninterested, the ones who'd rather keep a low profile on certain issues, or simply those celebrities that are carefully indoctrinated think tank puppets of institutions such as The Council on Foreign Relations (Clooney/Jolie etc) to sell a onedimensional mainstream pre-set agenda to the public, she has voiced her concerns over her own country's approach to international issues several times throughout her career.

Her 1990 "you know what i have to say to America? Get a fucking a sense of humour ok?" to start with was a perfect embryonic form of that and it already encapsulated everything's that's increasingly gone wrong in American culture and society as we drew closer to the turn of the millennium. Paranoia, a sense of unjustified moral or cultural superiority when in so many ways (we see with the riots, police, race issues), a self-appointed role as world's patrolmen, and a media and military apparatus obsessed with fuelling a system of perpetual war.

Her LA DWY gig 9/11 speech was also amazing. Her 2013 IG post was equally amazing and of course the whole American Life era, which she paid very dearly for the following year when the Bronfmans took over Time Warner and basically did her out of Maverick, buying her out for a lot less than what was the value of her contribution to it

https://www.rt.com/news/celebrities-syria-madonna-gorbachev-513/

‘Stay out’: Madonna slams US plans for Syria strike

American pop star Madonna has spoken against US President Barack Obama’s plan for a military intervention in Syria. Celebs and designers are striking a pose on the Arab country crisis – ranging from strike support or disapproval to dire provocations.

“US stay out of Syria!” reads a photo of a hand-written message posted on the famous singer’s Instagram page. The plea comes as the US Congress is expected to vote next week on striking Syria.

In less than 19 hours, Madonna’s appeal garnered about 30,000 ‘likes’ from users of the popular photo-sharing service and sparked a discussion on the page.

Some people did not quite welcome the pop singer’s call, saying that the US should intervene in Syria to stop the Bashar Assad government after an alleged August chemical weapons attack near Damascus. While politicians keep clashing over whether the proof points to the regime or the rebels using toxic chemicals against civilians, some web surfers have already made their verdicts.

“There is good evidence chemical weapons were used, killing hundreds, and the world just let it happen. Someone needs to step in. Otherwise, other nations may use chemical weapons on its citizens knowing they'll get away with it. Now I'm not in favor of war, but I'm in favor of the US going to Syria to stop the regime,” wrote a person named andreaswolke.

“When the Republicans took us to Iraq it was ok but when a Democrat does anything war related it’s not ok? The safety of the planet is on the line,” agreed user amendoros.

Meanwhile, freedomlover88 wants to know why people are not asking any questions as to whether “bombing Syria” will make things any better, how many more victims it could lead to, or which of the sides in Syria is telling the truth about not being behind the chemical weapons use.

Still, some people would prefer celebrities to keep away from politics. “Can someone remind Madonna that her job is just to entertain us please?” commented javitheflyingmonkey.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2013/09/madonna-on-syria-us-should-stay-out-171991

[XXL]

Speaking of Al Nusra (AlQaeda's front in Syria) ......

Ex-Mossad head on Israel medical aid to al-Nusra Front

Efraim Halevy says it's useful for Israel to deal with its enemies "in a humane way".

The former head of Israel's intelligence agency Mossad defends the country's treatment of al-Nusra Front fighters on the Syrian border. In this web extra, Efraim Halevy tells Mehdi Hasan that he is not concerned that Israel had treated fighters in Syria from al-Nusra Front, which some say is al-Qaeda's Syrian branch.

"It's always useful […] to deal with your enemies in a humane way," Halevy says.

When pressed on whether he believed the assistance was purely humanitarian, Halevy responds, "I didn't say there's no tactical [consideration]. I said the main consideration, the immediate consideration is humane."

Halevy also says he would not support the treatment of wounded Hezbollah fighters because Israel had been targeted by Hezbollah, but "not specifically targeted by al-Qaeda".

Watch more from Mehdi Hasan's interview with Efraim Halevy in which they discuss Israeli politics, the peace process and Halevy's time in the Mossad.

About the deafening silence of Isreali politician after the Iran deal

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/upfront/2016/05/mossad-head-israel-medical-aid-al-nusra-front-160531081744269.html

[karbatal]

Russia is always pictured as the bad guy because they have homophobia. Yet gays are killed in other countries that are NATO allies and new agencies always avoid the issue.

I wonder when population will open their eyes. Russia went to Syria and shamed the western countries by stopping the terrorists. Of course the western world had to invent stories so nobody questioned them: they let ISIS grow because it was positive for them. PERIOD

And people talking about homophobia when thousands are DYING because of Obama policies... It's disgusting.

[XXL]

Russia is always pictured as the bad guy because they have homophobia. Yet gays are killed in other countries that are NATO allies and new agencies always avoid the issue.

I wonder when population will open their eyes. Russia went to Syria and shamed the western countries by stopping the terrorists. Of course the western world had to invent stories so nobody questioned them: they let ISIS grow because it was positive for them. PERIOD

And people talking about homophobia when thousands are DYING because of Obama policies... It's disgusting.

Precisely

When Russia announced they were withdrawing from Syria after an equally unexpected interventionist move, they all collectively gasped and couldn't believe that he was not playing into their game of giving them a reason to start something bigger. Putin has made a joke of NATO, Obama and the EU. There was/is no intention for this situation to de-escalate from the get go on "democratic" West's part. The way the EU, US etc have also used and manipulated the Ukrainian situation against Russia is transparent and laughable. The MH17 flight "accident" etc etc

Syria, Libya, Iraq etc are all countries (see Venezuela and Ecuador in South America) that tried to rebel to the petrodollar system and whose central banks were not under the control of a private cartel and that's why this cartel uses terrorism, finances it etc to justify the constant meddling and arrogant intervention policies they have in the Middle East through the decisions taken on a more external level by our Western governments

After Syria it's obviously Iran's turn. And they do so by playing on the divisions between different factions within Islam (that's why they're big backer of Saudi Arabia, on top of economic reasons, even if they tell you with a straight face that Syrians rebelled against Assad without having been fomented first from the outside, yet the Saudi royals are Mother Teresa, what am I saying, wrong sarcastic example). And of course by justifying the lie that was the basis for the foundation of the state of Israel, long before we even had the first global conflict.

Unfortunately most people are unaware that Zionism and Jewish heritage are two very separate things. Zionism was a political and financial ideology pure and simple to be used in the long term as an element within a much more intricate frame that we only see unfolding today.

[Guest Rachelle of London]

How is Bernie Sanders going to be brought up in this thread?

[ULIZOS]

How is Bernie Sanders going to be brought up in this thread?

[Nessie]

Russia is always pictured as the bad guy because they have homophobia. Yet gays are killed in other countries that are NATO allies and new agencies always avoid the issue.

I wonder when population will open their eyes. Russia went to Syria and shamed the western countries by stopping the terrorists. Of course the western world had to invent stories so nobody questioned them: they let ISIS grow because it was positive for them. PERIOD

And people talking about homophobia when thousands are DYING because of Obama policies... It's disgusting.

Exactly. And now we have the Orlando massacre and as usual the american media could care less that it was in fact a hate crime clearly motivated by homophobia, instead lets just pretend it was a terror attack somehow orchestrated by foreign islamic terror groups.

[XXL]

Exactly. And now we have the Orlando massacre and as usual the american media could care less that it was in fact a hate crime clearly motivated by homophobia, instead lets just pretend it was a terror attack somehow orchestrated by foreign islamic terror groups.

Bingo

Under rug swept

The civilised West

Only so much

[Amzer801]

She looks so beautiful on this picture

On a more serious note, here in Europe the people who defend Russia in the media are usually criticized. People seem to think that the world is divided between the good (the US :america: ) and the bad (Russia :americanlife: ) but the reality is that it's not as simple!

Putin is far from being a saint, we know that, but I find it insane that we refuse to ally with him: the Islamic State IS the one who threatens us and sets up bombings and mass shootings! Not Russia.